Building block



Dec.l5, 1931.

J. L. SUTTON BUILDING BLOCK Filed June 7. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TORNEYS.

Dec. l5, 1931. J, L, SUTTON 1,836,408

BUILDING BLOCK Filed June 7, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOQ MME MPatented Dec. 15, 1931 PATENT OFFICE JAMES L. SUTTON, F LOS GATOS,CLIFORNIA BUILDING BLOCK Application med June 7,

This invention'relates generally to molded blocks for use in buildingconstruction.

It has become common practice to construct the walls of buildings fromprecast blocks of fire clay, concrete, or other suitable material.`These blocks are generally molded in such ay manner as to provide ahollow wall construction, and are provided with interfitting portions orother suitable means for retaining Vthe same in interlockingrelationship. In all modern buildings, the walls fare wired withelectric lightingiconductors, and the Fire Underwriters generallyrequire that these conductors be strung through i5 metallic pipes orconduits. The arranging of metallic conduits and the necessary metallicoutlet boxes in a wall constructed of hollow blocks or tile, isgenerally a diflicult and 4 expensive job even though apertures areproyided in the blocks before the wall is assemled.

It is an object of this invention to devise a premolded building blockfor the construc- H tion of walls, which will make unnecessary thelpositioning of wiring conduits after the wall has been constructed.

It is a further object of this invention to devise a premoldedvbuildingblock having an outlet box which is molded in the same, so as to make itunnecessary to locate such a box after the wall has been assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide for metallicconduits in a wall constructed of a plurality of premolded blocks,

by forming the conduit of a plurality of sections, eachsection beingmolded within its associated block. i

It is a further object of rthis invention to devise premolded buildingblocks or tiles '40 which will permit any system of conduits forelectrical wires, without necessitating insertion of the conduits afterthe wall has been constructed. y l Further objects of this inventionwill appear from the following description in which I have set forth thepreferredembodiment of my invention. It is to be understood that theappended claims are to be accorded a range of equivalents consistentwith the state 5 of the prior art.

1927. Serial No. 197,064.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating a portion of a wallconstructed of blocks incorporating this invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail illustrating how the 55 blocks of this invention arecoupled together.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a building block having an outlet boxcast within the same.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a building 50 block showing an outletbox cast within the same, the sectional conduit lengths connectin withthe box being in the form of a T. V

ig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken thru an outlet box being employedas a switch housing.

This invention may be outlined brieiiy as comprising a remolded buildingblock within which is mo ded as an integral part thereof,

a portion of a metal conduit. In construct- 'l0 ing a wall, a certainnumber of blocks carrying these integral conduit Ysections are assembledso that the sections are alined to form a continuous passage for strining electric light conductors. Where it is esired to ex- 'l5 tend anelectrical connection thru the wall to provide for attachment of a lightfixture, switch, or terminal connector, or where it is desired to joinelectrical wires in making abrupt bends, this invention makes use of ablock within which is premolded a suitable metal outlet box whichcommunicates with the conduit sections. Instead of forming all of theblocks of a thickness equal to the depth of the wall being formed,certain of the blocks 35 are intended to be set up in pairs, and havehollow inner faces. These relatively iat blocks are retained together attheir edges by means of suitable tie blocks.

Thus referring to the specific construction which I have shown in thedrawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a wall which has been fabricated fromblocks constructed in accordance with this invention. These blocks aredisposed in horizontal rows, each row having tie blocks 10 which areinterconnected by pairs of blocks 11. The tie blocks 10 are of athickness equal to the depth of the wall being formed and are of hollowconstruction, being provided with i the openingsY 12 extendingvertically there- 10 being formed to provide adequate compres-V sionalstrength. The blocks are all retained y together along adjacent edges,by suitable tongue and` .groove connections. For ex- Vamplethe' tieblock 10 in Fig. 3 hasbeen shown as provided with tongues 16 projectingfrom one edge thereof,'and with grooves 17 upon the Vother three edges.'Il-he blocks 11 are each? shown as provided with tongues 18 projectingfrom three edges thereof. and a groove 19 formed along the third edge..K

In assembling the wallthe groove at lthe ends of block 11 are engagedwith the grooves .17; of blocks 10, yand* the tongues along-thetop edgelof, blocks 11 are therefore alined. with the tongues '.16 of tie; blocks10.v The grooves l,provided alongfthe bottom edges ofthe next higherrowofk blocks, therefore fit over the lprojecting tongues 16 of-tiebloeks'10 and-'the tongues '18 along the upper edge ofblocks 11. The tieblocks of alternate horizontal rowsare odset laterallyfor staggered. -Inother words :aftieblock ofone horizontalrow is alined vertically-withfthe central portions offblocks 11 .the blocks togetherl .of thev-nextlowenand next higher row of` blocks. Therefore kthe central web 21ofeach block: 10 is alined vertically withV the ribs 14 of blocks 11 soasto form continuous vertical `columns"forfcarrying compressione-lstresses.

.Cementfgrouting or suitablev mortarl is employedbetween-the blocks toiill up the spaces between the tongues and grooves andftosecure A `Inpractically-allwallsfofthis type, it is .cent the edges of the block.

lnecessaryto'stringelectrical light conductors through theblocks.; Inymy invention,`instead .ofinsertingmetal conduitpipe after: the wallhasV been built;V I provide certain'of the blocks with `integral conduitsections which Iare cast within .the blocks during vmanufacture ofthesame, .and theseA sections :are assembled Vso Vas toi form continuouspassageways for electric light conductors.- For example `I'have showncertain of the tie` blocks 101 provided with conduit sections 23jextending through the same and having vits ends :terminating adja- Thisconduit sectionis cast withinthe block during manu-Vfacture:andtherefore is an integral part of thesame. Likewise certainof the blocks 111 have conduit sections. 24'molded within the samefthesectionsbeing similar to sections 23 provided in the' blocks 101.

as the, Conduit warmth@ Wan mamar@ y vright angle iturnsin orderyto'distribute the conductors to thedesired points, certainof :the blocksare provided `withcast in conduit :sections whichV meet in the Vform of.an L, while others may beprovidedwith conduits meetinglin the form of:a T.- VVihen twol conduit sections-'meet'atan:v angle within a block,fit is preferable 'to' provide aniv outlet 'box' atfthe junction point,so that the conductors may be conveniently connected together at suchpoints. For example, tie blocks 102 have been shown as provided withconduits arranged to form an L junction, and a meta-1 outlet box 26 ofconventional construction is molded into the block to form an integralpart ofthe same. Y The conduit sections 241 and 242v are likewiseimbedded in the block 102, and are secured to the outlet box 26 in theusualinanner. InFig: 4 I have shown one of the liatblocks which isnumbered 111, as being provided with a similar outletbox 26 to whichareconnectedthe conduit sections 243 and 244, to formv a Tshapedjunction.

The outlet boxes 26 shown in the rblocks ofFigs. 3 andf4i-ma-y beemployed lfor the attachment of switches, or other electrical devices,in addition'totheirv usejas a means for making connections between thelight conductors. However where'the conductors ter-- minate at anelectrical instrument, anoutletV box may be providedwith ak singleconduit section. For example in Fig. 5 I have shown .one of the tieblocksr103, as providedwith a molded in outlet-box 27v and a single pipesection 28. AV switch-29 has beenshown as :disposed within theo'utletbox`27, theswitch having a front plate 31 iiushwith the wall plasteringor covering'32. In Fig. 1 the outlet-box 'of anothertie block has beenshown as providing a mounting for alightbracket Yor fixture 33. Likewiseablock 113 has been .shownas having anele'ctrical connection ter-V minal34 mounted upon its outlet box.

. In practice the wall is'assembled in such a manner as to have conduitsections extending to the points where itis desired to have lightfixtures, switches or other electrical devices. 'Ihe pipe sectionspreferably have interfitti'ng ends in order to facilitate theiralinement. For example certain sections may be providedl withprojectingends 36 of reduced.

duitsec'tions'as by meansofa steeltape or ff v'other meanscommonly usedby electricians.

Covers are then. secured to the outlet boxesl which are not beingutilized for` mountingV electrical devices, and the wall maythen be yplastered. In the specific' arrangement'of conduit sections shown inFig. 1`,the electrical conductorsenter the conduit systemat point 41,and supply `current to the terminal con'- ductor 34 and to theHelectrical light xture 33 which is 'controlled' by switch? 29. -Iti isobvious however that any system of conduit may be formed depending uponthe manner in which the conduit carrying blocks are assembled. l

I claim:

1. In a building wall consisting of a plurality of individual blocks, aseries of adjacent blocks, each of the series having a section ofmetallic conduit embedded therein with ends terminating substantially indifferent edges of therespective blocks in position to aline with theends of conduit sections of adjacent blocks of the series, whereby acontinuous metallic conduit is provided in the wall for accommodatingelectrical wirlng.

2. In a building wall, a plurality of individual blocks adapted to beassembled in series relationship to form a part of a Wall, one of saidindividual blocks having a metallic outlet box embedded therein and aconduit section extending to one edge of one of said blocks andcommunicating with said box, both said conduit section and said boxbeing embedded in said one block, said conduit section being adapted tocommunicate with conduit in the other blocks of said series for enablingextension of Wiring thru the same to said box.

3. In a building wall, a plurality of individual blocks adapted to beassembled in series relationship to form a part of said wall, each ofsaid individual blocks having a section of metallic wiring conduitembedded therein with ends terminating substantially in different edgesof the respective blocks in position to aline with the ends of conduitsections of adjacent blocks of the series when said blocks are assembledtogether whereby a continuous metallic conduit for electrical wiring isprovided in the wall, one

of said blocks including a metallic outlet box in communication with theconduit section for said one block.

4. In a fabricated building wall, a series of blocks adapted to beassembled to form a part of said wall, said series including two blockseach having a hollowed inner face, a tie block engaging correspondingedges of said first mentioned blocks, an outlet box embedded in said tieblock, a conduit section extending from said box, and a conduit sectionembedded in one of .said first mentioned blocks and adapted to alinewith said first named conduit section to form a passageway forelectrical wires.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set m hand.

y JAMES L. SUTTON.

